Charter broker Missy Johnston of Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters recently attended the 2012 charter show in Poros, Greece. I caught up with her just after she returned to her home office in Newport, Rhode Island.

How was the show in Greece this year compared with past years?

Every year that I attend the Greek charter show, I am thrilled to see that the yachts in general look better and better. This year, just as in preceding years, there were more yachts with crew service and cuisine that meet our high-quality standards. I was lucky enough to be a judge for the large-motoryacht chefs’ competition, and it was very hard to choose a winner.  We should have many happy charter clients this summer in Greece.

Did you notice any trends in the Greece market for this summer?

I think the bookings are slower in coming this year, probably due to the economic crisis and unrest that is so prevalent in the worldwide news.

I do want to say that any unrest seems to be confined to downtown Athens. Since the airport is outside of Athens, it is very easy to fly into Greece and drive to a port outside of Athens without ever entering the city. The unrest in Athens has no affect on clients boarding charter yachts. As one of our booking partners in Greece, Atalanta Golden Yachts, continues to say, "The Greek seas are not in crisis!"

For those clients who do want to see the Acropolis and other Athenian sites before or after a charter, it is possible to stay in a hotel outside of Athens and have a tour driver take you to see the sites, avoiding any protests. It’s also worth noting that, because of economic issues in Greece right now, we did find prices in the islands at local tavernas and shops to be lower than last year.

How is availability? Are there still good boats available and deals to be made for charters this summer?

Yes, there is still excellent availability for yacht charter in Greece this summer.

However, while there are deals to be had, the pricing structure in Greece requires that the owner of any charter yacht pays a significant tax to have the yacht in charter. That remains true no matter what the economic situation is. So while there are deals available, there are never slashed prices or rock-bottom prices.  Extra day(s) at no charter cost are generally offered for at least a one-week charter, since yacht owners in Greece can more easily offer extra time than reduce pricing. 

Were there any yachts at the 2012 show that you really loved for clients this summer in Greece?

I was very happy with the 131-foot O'Pati, whose chef won first place in the competition for large motoryachts. 

Other motoryachts with great captains, crew, and chefs included the 103-foot Duke, the 175-foot O'Rama, the 135-foot O'Rion, the 163-foot O'ceanos, the 103-foot Suncoco, the 107-foot Marnaya, the 155-foot Helios, the 101-foot Iris, and the 86-foot Anassa. 

Is there anything else that CharterWave readers should know about your recent trip to Greece?

While Greece may be in economic crisis, yacht charter there is alive and well in the lovely Greek Islands.  A yacht available for charter is a high-end product owned by someone in the higher strata of the Greek economic society who is not necessarily part of the economic crisis. Charter as a product does not appear to be showing any effects of the crisis, such as reduced maintenance or reduced crew.  I found everything to be of the same top quality that Greece has been building toward for years.

I was also very pleased with some of the new boutique Greek wines that I sampled while at the Poros show.  Greece has come a long way in producing good quality local wines that guests can try while on charter.

To book a yacht charter vacation this summer in Greece, contact Missy Johnston at Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters.

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